KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan paid tribute to Andre Russell after the West Indies all-rounder decided to end his IPL career on Sunday, November 30. Russell ended his 14-year career in the competition as he was released by KKR ahead of the IPL 2026 auction in December.
After this Russell also took on a new role as part of KKR’s backroom staff he will join Abhishek Nayar’s revamped coaching set-up alongside Shane Watson and Tim Southee for the new season. Shah Rukh, who made his way to X, thanked the 37-year-old for all the good memories in purple and gold.
Explaining the new role of power coach, the KKR owner said his job will be to pass on his experience and power play to the younger generation. Shah Rukh also echoed the same sentiments as Russell and said that it would be strange to see the all-rounder in the colors of another IPL team.
“Thanks for the wonderful memories Andre. Our knight in shining armor!!! Your contribution to @KKRiders is one for the books and here’s to the next chapter in your fantastic journey as an athlete Strength Coach – passing on wisdom, brawn and of course strength to our boys in purple and gold And yes, any other jersey would really look weird on you my man who loves Team Muscle Russell for life!” read Shah Rukh Khan’s tweet.
(Courtesy: Shah Rukh Khan X)
RUSSELL’S NUMBERS IPL
Andre Russell appeared in 140 IPL matches and scored 2651 runs with a lightning strike rate of 174.18. He took 123 wickets with the ball at an impressive average of 23.28. His standout years came in KKR colours, where he was crowned the Most Valuable Player of the IPL twice – in 2015 and again in 2019.
While representing the Kolkata Knight Riders, Russell amassed 2593 runs and took 122 wickets, cementing his legacy as one of the franchise’s greatest all-rounders. The all-rounder retired from international cricket earlier in the year.
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Published on:
November 30, 2025
